OEL Comparables

[The Greatest 101]

I don't hate OEL. I just think there is a tier of D that is above him. Guys like Doughty, Keith, Karlsson, Hedman, Josi, Pietrangelo, and so on. IMO OEL is not in the discussion as that group. And reportedly there are two from that group also available if the price is right. I would put OEL closer to a Yandle player than a Doughty player. And there is nothing wrong with that.

I'm intrigued why you think Josi is a tier above OEL. They are very similar. Strong O game with average D. Josi has as many defensive gaffes as OEL. The rest you listed play different styles from these two, so it's hard to compare.But Josi?

 

[Jamieh]

I'm intrigued why you think Josi is a tier above OEL. They are very similar. Strong O game with average D. Josi has as many defensive gaffes as OEL. The rest you listed play different styles from these two, so it's hard to compare.But Josi?

Josi is one of the NHL's most complete D players. He is very consistent on offense and not a slouch defensively while also showing great Leadership. The sad reality when talking OEL is that if he was traded to Nashville it's not certain that he makes their top 4 better.

 

[The Greatest 101]

Josi is one of the NHL's most complete D players. He is very consistent on offense and not a slouch defensively while also showing great Leadership. The sad reality when talking OEL is that if he was traded to Nashville it's not certain that he makes their top 4 better.

Leadership I give you that and Josi dosen't shy away from fights, but that doesn't mean he's a tier above OEL.

 

[Jamieh]

Leadership I give you that and Josi dosen't shy away from fights, but that doesn't mean he's a tier above OEL.

It's just reality , OEL right now is a bottom half 1st pairing D and Josi is top half. Could a change of scenery reverse that? Maybe?

 

[cobra427]

Josi is one of the NHL's most complete D players. He is very consistent on offense and not a slouch defensively while also showing great Leadership. The sad reality when talking OEL is that if he was traded to Nashville it's not certain that he makes their top 4 better.

Nashville has a very good top 4 and Josi plays for a great team. I would take OEL over Josi, I think he is better. There is a huge difference in playing for a good team versus a bad team especially when looking at a D core. In OEL's first few years, he was surrounded by good D men. It faded from there and bottomed out last year. This year with the addition of Hammer/Demers, OEL has better D guys around him. The problem has been Hammer being hurt, bad goal tending early, Chych being out in the beginning of the year. The D core is just starting to put it together now. Once the team is better or OEL plays on a better team, his numbers/play will improve. OEL is a more skilled player then Josi.

 

[Jakey53]

In any event I like OEL a lot and I wish he'd stay. If he makes it extremely clear to Chayka that he really, really wants to stay, I hope they keep him. If he's vacillating and/or stalling for time and/or making personnel or team performance demands or other conditions or is requiring a whole lot of convincing, I'd just as soon trade him prior to this TDL to maximize his value, rather than making a pure rental deal 12.5 months from now.

I wonder if OEL is questioning the organization as a whole, like Tavares is doing in NY. I would have to believe OEL wants to hear what the organization is going to do going forward to win. I believe OEL wants to stay, but he wants insurance that we are not going to keep on going like the past decade. He is our most important player we have and probably has the most say, so I hope he is putting pressure on the organization. IF he gets moved we may have our answer what the organization is thinking. AB come on down, it's your move.

 

[Jakey53]

I like OEL, he has provided the Coyotes with some very solid seasons.
But right now I just dont know what has changed since 2015. For me it almost looks as if he is part of the problem with the Coyotes and I have grown a bit weary of him.
He has brainfarts on the ice I've never noticed in this magnitude even in his rookie season and they are way more common than back then. I'm torn on whether to keep him, a player is either part of the solution or has to go and right now I am not conviced that OEL is a part of the solution to the on (and off) ice problems the Coyotes face.

Part of the problem? You're kidding, right?

 

[Jakey53]

Nashville has a very good top 4 and Josi plays for a great team. I would take OEL over Josi, I think he is better. There is a huge difference in playing for a good team versus a bad team especially when looking at a D core. In OEL's first few years, he was surrounded by good D men. It faded from there and bottomed out last year. This year with the addition of Hammer/Demers, OEL has better D guys around him. The problem has been Hammer being hurt, bad goal tending early, Chych being out in the beginning of the year. The D core is just starting to put it together now. Once the team is better or OEL plays on a better team, his numbers/play will improve. OEL is a more skilled player then Josi.

Bingo! OEL is the least of our problems.

 

[Jakey53]

It's just reality , OEL right now is a bottom half 1st pairing D and Josi is top half. Could a change of scenery reverse that? Maybe?

Compare teams my friend. Put Josi on our team and you would see him in a different light. In fact, put anyone on our team and you would look at that player differently.

 

[samabam]

Part of the problem? You're kidding, right?

No, I'm not

 

[Jamieh]

Compare teams my friend. Put Josi on our team and you would see him in a different light. In fact, put anyone on our team and you would look at that player differently.

I keep hearing that but never see anyone do much better when they leave the Coyotes except a couple young guys. And the Preds weren't always a great team yet Josi was always a great D man. Doan played his whole career here and was always good. It's not as simple as situation. OEL is a highly skilled player but I don't think I've ever seen his give a poop meter move. I don't think I have ever seen him take control and lead. It would be very difficult to consider OEL in the vein of top pairing D guys when he just doesn't have those abilities. I still like the player but if I'm building a team to win OEL is in the bottom half of 1st pairing D guys for me. Josi is in the top half.

 

[rt]

I keep hearing that but never see anyone do much better when they leave the Coyotes except a couple young guys. And the Preds weren't always a great team yet Josi was always a great D man. Doan played his whole career here and was always good. It's not as simple as situation. OEL is a highly skilled player but I don't think I've ever seen his give a poop meter move. I don't think I have ever seen him take control and lead. It would be very difficult to consider OEL in the vein of top pairing D guys when he just doesn't have those abilities. I still like the player but if I'm building a team to win OEL is in the bottom half of 1st pairing D guys for me. Josi is in the top half.

I'm sorry but you either have a very short or a very selective memory.

 

[Heldig]

If I am OEL I am certainly questioning the direction of the franchise. I look at Doan's career and ask if the one team career was worth being on a crappy team the majority of it. Like the Isles with Tavares. Imagine if he walks in the summer? They are doomed. You cant just replace that level of talent. Some franchises never have that (no I dont consider Barzal his replacement. Lets wait another year to see if he is really this good).

 

[Jakey53]

I keep hearing that but never see anyone do much better when they leave the Coyotes except a couple young guys. And the Preds weren't always a great team yet Josi was always a great D man. Doan played his whole career here and was always good. It's not as simple as situation. OEL is a highly skilled player but I don't think I've ever seen his give a poop meter move. I don't think I have ever seen him take control and lead. It would be very difficult to consider OEL in the vein of top pairing D guys when he just doesn't have those abilities. I still like the player but if I'm building a team to win OEL is in the bottom half of 1st pairing D guys for me. Josi is in the top half.

None of those players you are talking about had/have the talent of OEL. You are under estimating the talent of OEL, because of where he plays.

 

[Jakey53]

If I am OEL I am certainly questioning the direction of the franchise. I look at Doan's career and ask if the one team career was worth being on a crappy team the majority of it. Like the Isles with Tavares. Imagine if he walks in the summer? They are doomed. You cant just replace that level of talent. Some franchises never have that (no I dont consider Barzal his replacement. Lets wait another year to see if he is really this good).

I agree. I would think OEL was very blunt with Chayka, as he should be. AB has shown he wants to be recognized as the boss, so now it's time to put his money where his mouth is. He has to show the players and the fans that he cares, which I have not seen evidence of, other than his giddy presser where he said he was happy to be an owner. I know some owners are rarely seen or heard, but for this franchisee and what has transpired over the last decade, he should be a bit more visible and vocal.

 

[zz]

OEL is a highly skilled player but I don't think I've ever seen his give a poop meter move. I don't think I have ever seen him take control and lead.

Huh. I totally get the criticism over consistency and occasional brain fart, but not giving a shit? Just recently against Tampa the guy was simply not leaving the ice. If there's one thing he was guilty of, it was trying to do too much. And that was a game where we were getting killed.

Except for last year when he lost his mom, I've always felt OEL played hard every game. We can argue his talent level to death, but his competitiveness? I'm surprised.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

OEL hasn't been OEL since 2015.

The constant losing, injuries and his mother's long battle against and finally passing from cancer.

There is not a single player and human being who would need and deserve a new start somewhere else more, Than Oliver.

 

[samabam]

Part of the problem? You're kidding, right?

No, I'm not

And now that I'm on a real PC I can finally elaborate.
The past offseason saw big changes in the Coyotes, the old leadership (Doan, Hanzal and yes, Mike Smith too) went out and GMJC made a move that could be considered as win now by trading DeAngelo and the First Rounder for Stepan and Rantta. With the old leadership out the Yotes were looking for a new generation of leaders and I think the imagined Stepan to assume a leadership role and of course OEL to be the new Captain and face of the franchise. And herein lies my problem. The current fiasco of a season isn't solely to blame on Tocchet, in my opinion - and of course you're welcome to disagree- the total lack of player leadership playes a very big role in this dissapointment. Is it ok to critisize Stepan and Goligoski for their total lack of leadership but not OEL?
I am concerned, if the Yotes extend OEL for what he will command, that eats a huge part of the budget (the owners are still broke) and I'm not too sure that current OEL is worth that.
I personally see the lack of leadership as one of the biggest problem the Yotes have on ice and yes, OEL is a part of that problem. Maybe it's just not his character but the Yotes need him to be more of a leader than he currently is or they will have to move on, for financial reasons but also for on-ice reasons.
Now, feel free to disagree, but I am surely not kidding.